Where we Stand
by twelveteen
Summary: AU-When Beca was nine she met him. When she was ten she became his best friend. When she was eleven she began to question if it was just friendship. When she was twelve she knew she couldn't deny it. When she was thirteen she finally let her guard down. And all these years later she's still glad she decided to put her pool right next to the tree.
1. Chapter 1

Prologue

Beca Mitchell was nine when she met Jesse.

Ten when she became friends with Jesse.

Eleven when she started to question that it was just friendship.

Twelve when she knew she couldn't deny it.

And thirteen when she finally embraced it.

And ten years later, such a long yet short span of time, she still hasn't shaken the dork that fell from her tree that eventful Saturday afternoon. Twenty-three and still in love with the same nerd who became her nerd. It was so long ago, yet she remembers it like it happened yesterday. How vividly it all began..

.

Chapter 1) Did you fall from Heaven?

The divorce was looking ugly. Not that Beca cared. For the first time in three years the house was quiet. She could finally play in peace. But this of course proved not to be the case.

She was outside, filling up a kiddy pool under the oak tree. It was a big kiddy pool, could hold two, maybe more, eight year olds, nine year olds maybe, if they were small. She hadn't meant to set it up under the tree. She was only using it to cool off from the summer heat. But fate decided the pool had another purpose.

Beca went inside to grab some lemonade. The pool was finished filling, just to the brim. She was taking her time, adding ice and just the right amount of sugar, because it never could be too sweet. She heard a noise emitting from the tree, but ignored it. Probably just birds.

She set herself up, a tray of sandwiches and lemonade (she wasn't expecting company, but it seemed fitting), her towel to dry off, a bucket of toys to play with. She prides herself for being very independent. The divorce has led her to believe she is on her own in this world, and she has discovered she already has a knack for being on her own.

She was ready to get in the pool, when a gust of wind blew about. Her hair flew about her face, and the snap of a branch could be heard two blocks down. Suddenly a scream and a splash cut through the howls of summer wind. Beca brushed her hair away to discover an unexpected guest in her pool.

"Hey! Who are you?"

"M-me?"

"Yeah you! You're in my pool! Where did you come from?"

"Next door."

The boy pointed to the house across the street. A new couple had just moved in, her father had said. She didn't know they had kids.

She looks back at the mess in front of her. Soaked to the bone, yet he has this remarkable grin on his face.

"Why are you smiling?"

"Because this is funny."

"No it's not. I don't even know who you are and you're in my pool. You didn't even tell me your name!"

"Well ok. It's Jesse."

"Isn't that a girl's name?" She asks. This half fast insult doesn't even seem to throw him off track. He just smiles wider.

"No, it's a boy's name. I like it. It suits me."

"Well great. Can you get out of my pool now?"

"Well it's hot out. Can I come swimming? You have more than one sandwich." He points at the tray. She squints, making a thinking face. Jesse finds this adorable, the way her nose scrunches up, and her mouth tilts. She finally replies.

"Only if you put on a bathing suit," she decides.

"Great! See you in a few seconds!"

He sprints back to his house, opening the fence gate and slamming it shut. She sits there until she realizes she's been smiling the whole time. She quickly regains composure. Something about that boy makes her... Happy. She just can't put her finger on it.

He returns, still smiling. This time however Beca is smiling too. He jumps in, floats and all. Beca smirks, pointing out the pool in only a few feet deep, and he can touch. He ignores her, and propels himself in a circle around her. Kicking and splashing, they play all afternoon. Beca's smile never falters once. It's like he broke down some kind of wall, all of the sudden life doesn't...suck so much.

They stop for lunch, not breaking to talk for they are too hungry. Jesse sits back content in his chair. He eats faster than Beca, and waits till she finishes. He grows bored so he decides to get to know her better.

"So what's up? Who are you?"

"Um I'm Beca Mitchell, the 'weirdo next door '."

He laughs at this. He gave her that nickname.

"No really. Like I want to get to know you, your interests, hobbies, and stuff."

"Excuse me but I should be the one to ask you that. You fell from MY tree into MY pool and I've never met you before!"

"Well sorry. I just was interested in you," he shrugs.

"A little too interested you spy."

"I'm not a spy!"

"Where did you come from anyway? Did you fall from Heaven?"

"Why, 'cause I'm an angel?"

"No 'cause you landed on your face," she deadpans, matching his exact tone. This just causes laughter between the two, the best kind Beca has felt in ages.

At the end of the day Beca's father still isn't home. It doesn't bother her though. She is still too happy to care. She sits in the living room with her older siblings, Cassie and Andy. The twins are bickering and fighting, as usual, but it's softer in a way, that doesn't make it seem so mean. More lighthearted.

"Hey Cass, can you go get me a soda?"

"No Andy."

"Becs?"

"Sure!" she replies. An eyebrow shoots up on his head as he exchanges a look with Cassie. Never before has Beca been _this_ happy, at least with the divorce. They know she made a friend today, but her sarcastic, irritated aura is gone. Somehow, she changed.

Beca still doesn't know what to think of the nerd next door. She has only met him once, yet she feels like they'll be close friends. Of course she doesn't say this. Cassie and Andy are supposed to be her best friends. They pick her up when she's hurt, make her feel better. But Jesse is different. Jesse doesn't do those things, because Jesse _doesn't need_ to do those things. She feels, with Jesse, she doesn't even feel hurt at all.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys! Sorry that I haven't been on in a while. End of the year and all that. Anyways, I'm back and ready for more! Thank you for the reviews! Please keep them coming, I'm always looking for new ways to stay in touch. I hopefully will be more active in the future! Thanks!**

…

Chapter 2 – First Days

First days are always hard. But for Jesse Swanson, hard takes on a whole new meaning. He was the new kid in town, coming from a school where he was formerly "The Nerd", it was the first day of third grade, and his one true friend, or so he liked to think, was completely useless when it came to assuring him it would be alright. No matter, he would have to do with what he knew. That's what he thinks as he anxiously waits for the bus from the front gate. He keeps looking back, seeing if Beca will emerge from her door. Alas as he sees the bus pulling up she still isn't here.

He ascends the bus, with regret that Beca isn't there, when she hears the voice he's been waiting for.

"WAIT!" Beca screams, chasing after the bus. Beca sprints down to pathway and up to the bus. Pushing her way on, and collapsing into the fifth row seat. Jesse follows her, plopping down with less enthusiasm.

"So…. you're late," he nods after a long pause, not sure how to address the situation.

"This is how it usually is, right Bert?" She looks up at the bus driver, identified as "Bert" who simply nods in response. Jesse doesn't question this; he just sits back and lets his nerves calm down.

…

Jesse enters the class, nervous as ever. Will they like him? Will they be nice? He finds his seat, clearly labeled with name tags at each desk. The desks are grouped, five to each group. He scans each name not finding Beca's anywhere. She must be in another class. He is crestfallen at this. He's on his own from here. He watches as more and more students pour in and find their seats. Finally someone joins Jesse's group. He's a small boy, curly, reddish hair, and a nice smile fitting his face.

"Hi there, I'm Benji, you must be the new kid?" Benji questions, extending a hand towards Jesse.

"Jesse," he says, standing to meet and shake Benji's hand. He notices the Star Wars backpack slung over Benji's shoulder.

"You like Star Wars?"

"Oh yeah, they're my favorite! I have seen them all at least three times."

"Cool, I'm into that franchise too."

"Great! You should come over sometime and watch them with me!"

Jesse is too giddy from having made his first friend he doesn't even notice two new people join their group.

"Hey Benj, how was your summer?" A tan skinned boy, with glasses, asks.

"Donald! Meet Jesse, he's the new kid."

"Hey Jesse, I'm Donald and this is Am-

"Excuse me!" Amy interrupts, irritated.

"Hey mate. Sorry 'bout Donald, but its Fat Amy, yah got that?" Amy, or should he say Fat Amy, asks in a thick Australian accent.

"Yeah ok Fat Amy. Are you Australian?"

"Yep, I'm an aussie girl. Moved here last year, met these dweebs. I'm sure you're pretty cool too. Sit with us at lunch?" She asks.

"Uh yeah sure, do you guys have room for one more? I'm assuming you don't know Beca?"

"Oh Beca? Yeah we know her. I mean not well, she's nice and all but we don't talk much. She can come too." Benji says, with approving nods from the others. Jesse grins, feeling successful about his friendships.

…

Lunch comes and Jesse still hasn't found Beca. He spends a solid five minutes searching for her, but with no luck. He moves on, dejectedly, finding a seat next to Benji at his table.

"Hey Benji."

"Oh hey Jesse! Jesse, I know you've already met Amy and Donald, here are our other friends. This is Jessica, Ashley, Lily, Cynthia Rose-"

"Just call me CR," she interrupts.

"Ok," Jesse says as Benji continues.

"And that's Stacie, Chloe, Aubrey, Kolio, Hat, and Unicycle," Benji finishes.

"Wow, this is a big group. Have you always been friends?" Jesse asks, intimidated by their closeness as a group. Already he feels an outsider.

"Oh well, not really, I mean, Fat Amy only moved here last year," Stacie says, to Jesse's relief. He relaxes as the group turns the discussion from him to their classes. He joins in and is so involved he doesn't notice Beca till she's right behind him.

"Beca you came! What took you so long? Here they saved you a seat." Jesse scooches over an inch to make room for Beca.

"Uh hi, I'm Beca," she says as she sits awkwardly. Again they jump into the names, Jesse helping to introduce everyone.

"Beca aren't you in my class?" Chloe asks. She sits on Beca's right, and is the first to engage in real conversation with her.

"Uh yeah, I think so. Mrs. Junk right?"

"Yep, she's the one. She's pretty nice."

"Oh you have Mrs. J? I'm in her class too!" Ashley exclaims. They talk like this for the whole lunch period, everyone chiming in at the right moment. They switch from topic to topic with ease and by the end, everyone knows something about everyone. Jesse feels oddly close to these people right now, and he can tell Beca does too. She isn't hostile and sarcastic like usual. She jokes playfully with her newfound friends. Jesse smiles to see her open up so well.

 _Maybe the year won't be so bad._

 **And there it is! Yeah so, I am including Flo and Emily as teachers because I didn't want their group to be huge, but I still wanted to use every character. Flo will be mentioned in the next chapter more as well as Emily. As always, leave a review! I'm thinking of posting each chapter a week apart for convenience so you can expect the next one to be up by next Sunday. Thanks for reading!**


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